After several hours, they reached the mouth of a deep crevice in a rock face and entered it for temporary shelter, soon they realized they were being pursued as they heard the cries of their quarry. The inevitability of their enemies tracking them to the cave was not the only thing forcing them to leave. Something felt wrong about the cave, it smelt of death. Bacha had called the Elder to assess Karim’s wound, and they agreed that it was fatal. Orimanu, the elder, told the few remaining that they could not carry him any further, for it would jeopardize the remainder. To survive, they had no choice. Karim was laid at the very back of the cave and left to die. However, Karim did not die. In the moments nearing his death, when reality slid into an almost dreamlike state, he heard a rustling from the shadows in the narrow crevice of the cave. Down climbed a beast with talon like hands, blood red eyes and skin as white as the moon. It stood tall and stooped over Karim’s frail frame. Its pointed ears turned toward him as it spoke in a thundering low tone. “You do not want to die, do you?” It asked with a fang filled mouth. Karim was barely conscious from blood loss, he could not speak. “Do not worry about words, I hear the voice of your mind as clearly as I see your weak and fragile body.” it said to him, in disgust. “I want to live.” Karim thought to the beast. “Yes? For what reason?” Asked the beast. Karim could feel nothing but the deepest anger and despair as he lay bleeding on the rocks, from the moment they had taken Anan, he was consumed by hatred and revenge. It was all he could think of. “Answer the question clearly, not only for me, but for yourself.” said the beast. “To kill.” he thought. The beasts eyes fell half shut and it shuddered in near ecstacy. “Yes.” It said quietly. “To kill, to feed, to survive. Are these the things you want?” “Yes” Thought Karim, but with that last thought all energy had been exhausted from his failing body and he passed into unconsciousness.

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